Osteospermum plant named ‘Fidostsuns’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Osteospermum  plant named ‘Fidostsuns’ characterized by its compact and mounding plant habit; relatively short internodes; freely branching growth habit; freely and early flowering habit; large daisy-type inflorescences with yellow to light bronze-colored ray florets; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Osteospermum ecklonis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Fidostsuns’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofOsteospermum plant, botanically known as Osteospermum ecklonis, andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Fdostsuns’.

The new Osteospermum plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in De Lier, The Netherlands. The objective ofthe program is to create and develop new Osteospermum cultivars withcompact growth habit, freely branching and freely flowering habit andattractive inflorescence coloration.

The new Osteospermum plant originated from a cross-pollination by theInventor in May, 2006 of two unnamed proprietary selections ofOsteospermum ecklonis, not patented. The new Osteospermum was discoveredand selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within theprogeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouseenvironment in De Lier, The Netherlands in October, 2006.

Asexual reproduction of the new Osteospermum plant by terminal cuttingsin a controlled greenhouse environment in De Lier, The Netherlands sinceNovember, 2006, has shown that the unique features of this newOsteospermum plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Osteospermum have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensity,without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Fidostsuns’ . These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Fidostsuns’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofOsteospermum:

-   -   1. Compact and mounding plant habit.    -   2. Relatively short internodes.    -   3. Freely branching growth habit.    -   4. Freely and early flowering habit.    -   5. Large daisy-type inflorescences with yellow to light bronze-        colored ray florets.    -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Osteospermum differ from plants of the parentselections primarily in plant and growth habit as plants of the newOsteospermum are more compact in plant habit and more uniform in growthhabit than plants of the parent selections.

Plants of the new Osteospermum can be compared to plants of theOsteospermum ‘Flower Power Pink Sand’, not patented. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in De Lier, The Netherlands, plants of the newOsteospermum differed from plants of ‘Flower Power Pink Sand’ in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Osteospermum had less tendency to stretch        than plants of ‘Flower Power Pink Sand’.    -   2. Ray floret color of plants of the new Osteospermum was more        intense than ray floret color of ‘Flower Power Pink Sand’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of thenew Osteospermum. This photograph shows the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values citedin the detailed botanical description which accurately describe thecolors of the new Osteospermum. The photograph comprises a sideperspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Fidostsuns’ grown in acontainer.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph, following observations and measurementsdescribe plants grown in De Lier, The Netherlands during the spring andearly summer in a glass-covered greenhouse and under conditions andpractices which approximate those generally used in commercialOsteospermum production. During the production of the plants, daytemperatures ranged from 17° C. to 35° C. and night temperatures rangedfrom 15° C. to 25° C. Plants were pinched one time. Plants were nineweeks old when the photograph and description were taken. In thefollowing description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Osteospermum ecklonis ‘Fidostsuns’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of            Osteospermum ecklonis, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of            Osteospermum ecklonis, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About six days at 22° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About one week at 22° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting, summer.—About twelve days            at 22° C. to 30° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting, winter.—About two weeks at            20° C. to 25° C.        -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; whitish grey            in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Moderate branching; moderately dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form/growth habit.—Compact and mounding plant habit;            relatively short internodes, dense and bushy growth habit;            moderately vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 9 cm to 11 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 15 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Quantity per plant: Freely branching            habit, when pinched, about nine primary lateral branches            develop per plant. Length: About 10 cm to 12 cm. Diameter:            About 4 mm. Internode length: Relatively short, about 2 mm            to 6 mm. Strength: Strong, sturdy. Texture: Sparsely            pubescent. Color: Close to 144A.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:            About 6 cm to 6.5 cm. Width: About 3.5 cm. Shape: Elliptic.            Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Lobed; serrate.            Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower            surface: Sparsely pubescent. Venation pattern: Pinnate.            Color: Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 147A; venation,            close to 144B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 147B; venation, close to 144B. Petiole: Length: About            1 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm to 4 mm. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper surface: Close to            144B. Color, lower surface: Close to 144A.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Appearance.—Daisy-type inflorescence form with elliptic to            slightly obovate-shaped ray florets; inflorescences            positioned beyond the foliage on moderately strong            peduncles; inflorescences terminal and axillary;            inflorescences face upright; ray and disc florets developing            acropetally on a capitulum.        -   Flowering habit.—Freely flowering habit; about 10 to 40            inflorescences developing per plant.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Flowering response.—In The Netherlands, plants of the new            Osteospermum flower continuously from spring to frost in the            autumn; early flowering habit, plants begin flowering about            eight weeks after planting.        -   Inflorescence longevity.—At temperatures of 14° C. to 20°            C., inflorescences last about 2.5 weeks on the plant;            inflorescences persistent.        -   Inflorescence bud.—Height: About 1.8 cm. Diameter: About            1.2 cm. Shape: Globular to ovoid. Color: Close to 137A.        -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 7.5 cm to 8 cm. Depth            (height): About 5 mm. Disc diameter: About 8 mm to 12 mm.            Receptacle diameter: About 4 mm. Receptacle height: About            4 mm. Receptacle color: Close to 146A.        -   Ray florets.—Length: About 4.2 cm. Width: About 9 mm to            10 mm. Shape: Elliptic to slightly obovate. Apex: Rounded to            slightly obtuse. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture:            Smooth, glabrous; satiny. Number of ray florets per            inflorescence/arrangement: About 18 to 20 in one to 1.5            whorls. Color: When opening, upper surface: Towards the            apex, close to 9A; mid-section, close to 5D; towards the            base, close to 59B. When opening, lower surface: Close to            177A; longitudinal stripes, close to N170A. Fully opened,            upper surface: Towards the apex, close to 163A; mid-section,            close to 158D; towards the base, close to 59B; longitudinal            stripes, close to 84B. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to            177A; longitudinal stripes, close to N179A.        -   Disc florets.—Shape: Tubular; apex dentate, five-pointed.            Length: About 5 mm to 7 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Number of            disc florets per inflorescence: About 100. Color: Immature:            Apex and mid-section: Close to N199A. Base: Close to N155D.            Mature: Apex: Close to N199B. Mid-section: Close to N199D.            Base: Close to N155D.        -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 12 to 14 in a            single whorl. Length: About 8 mm to 9 mm. Width: About 1 mm            to 2 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Truncate.            Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Sparsely            pubescent. Color, upper surface: Close to 146A. Color, lower            surface: Close to 138A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 6 cm to 9 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: Upright. Texture:            Pubescent. Color: Close to 144A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets            only. Anther shape: Lanceolate. Anther length: About 2 mm.            Anther color: Close to N77A. Pollen amount: Moderate to            abundant. Pollen color: Close to 23A. Gynoecium: Present on            both ray and disc florets. Pistil length: About 1.5 cm.            Stigma shape: Bi-parted. Stigma color: Close to 79A. Style            length: About 8 mm. Style color: Close to 79A.        -   Seeds/fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed on plants of the new Osteospermum.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Osteospermum have not    been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Osteospermums.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Osteospermum have been    observed to have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind    and temperatures ranging from about 4° C. to about 35° C.

1. A new and distinct Osteospermum plant named ‘Fidostsuns’ asillustrated and described.